Stereoscopic film and method of projecting same



Patented Nov. 3,

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcs.

GU] m AND JOE]! I. PQT TEBSON, OI POUGII, m You BE'IBIOBCOPIQ m AND mnon 0] PWING sum.

Application filed Augnlt 8, 102:; Serial lb. 855,500,

To all whom it may com-em:

Be it known that we, Gnome LANE and JOHN E. Pamnson,'citizens of the United States, and residents of Pouhkeepsie, in the county of Dutchess and tate of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stereoscopic Films and Methods of Projecting Same, of which the following is a specification.

Our resent invention relates to a method of pr ucing stereoscopic effects in moving pictures.

The principal object of our invention is the provision of a film for use in a pro'ectorwhereby the desired effect will be pro uced.

A further and principal object of our invention is the arrangement of the stereoscopic pairs of pictures which are to be pro 'ected on the film strip in such a definite relation to each other that the greatest efliciency may be secured from a projector without duplication of parts, film strips, or the like.

This invention is an improvementupon our Patent-No. 1,514,543 atented November 4, 1924, and is designe to overcome certain inefiiciencies found in commercial practice of the said invention.

In the above mentioned invention we foundit desirable to utilize a single. film strip ofordinary width upon which stereoscopic pairs of pictures in photographical sequence were arranged in consecutlve order. We then projected two adjacent fipliftures upon ascreen simultaneously. The strip was then advanced one picture and one of the previously projected pictures was then paired with a new picture and the two simultaneously projected. The composite picture thus produced on the screen was separated into right and left hand pictures which were to be viewed by the observers right and left eye respectively by placing in front of the lenses red and green filters throu h which the pictures were projected. The 0 server. was then provided with eye ieoes of the respective colors of the lens ters with the result that the eye looking through the red filter picked out from the composite picture on the screen only that view projected through the red lens filter. In a like manner the picture rojected throughthe greenfilter was visib e only to the eye covered by the green eye piece. Thus each eye -in view of the above, a-sin le widt gilifince. The dia 1 are lettere of the observer viewed only its respective picture of the stereoscopic pair with the result that a stereoscopic effect was produced.

In carrying out commercially the above invention, we found that in some circumstances it was not desirable to have a stereoscopic pair, or pictures taken in photofiraphicsequence, adjacent each other on the lm strip. Various circumstances may contribute/to make such a requirement undesirable, but it is not thought necessary to enumerate these details at this time.

This invention, therefore, contem lates, film strip having photographica y sequential stereoscopic pans of pictures separated by intervening pictures.

The invention further contemplates a method of producing stereoscopic effects in moving apictures by projecting two photogra hic 1y sequential pictures simultaneous y, said pictures being spaced apart in their relation to each other on the film strip. One of these pictures is then projected with the next photographically sequential picture simultaneousl We have illustrated in the accompanying drawing, diagrammatically one embodiment of our invention, althoug obviously this may be carried out in various we 5 as circumstances will best determine, an it is understood that we are not to be limited to the specific embodiment shown- In-these drawings Figure 1 is a dlagrammatic view of the film used in this invention.

. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the projector and associated parts.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the shutter.

F-i 4.- is a diagrammatic view of the viewing evice.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, we have illustrated a single width film strip having thereon a series of indi-. vidual pictures 0 rming stereoscopic pairs, that is pictures of objects taken from right and left hand positions in photographic semmatic pictures on the left and right to indicate the relative osition from which the picture was taken. e numbers on the left side of the film strip indicate the quence of the pictures. at is, plcture 2 was taken directly after picture 1, 3 after 2,

hotographic se- 4 after etc. The figures to the rightof the strip" 1 designate t e numerical position of the picture on the film, thus pictures hav' ing the numerical positions 1 and 12 are.

eter feed cams running at half speed. These snstrumentalities' have not been illustrated for the reason that they are standard, it simplylbeing desired to feed the film past the filnrgates alternately two spaces at a time instead of one, as is usual, the still period being double that in the ordinary machine. The total length of film running throu h the machine for a given timewill, there ore, be the same as with the ordinary projector.

If the loop 6 between the sprockets 4 and 5 be equal to theamount of interval between stereoscopic pairs of pictures, photographically sequential pictures will be projected simultaneously through gates 2 and 3. The feed sprockets 4 and 5 are so geared to the drive mechanism that they operate intermittently, that is, the sprocket4will advance the film two frames while the sprocket 5 is stationary. Likewise the sprocket 5 will advance the film two frames while the sprocket 4 is stationary. It will thus be.

seen that if the interval 6 is equal to an even number of pictures, the pictures projected through the gate 2 will miss the gate 3, and likewise those pictures shown through the gate 3 will have skipped the gate 2: Thus the total amount of film passing through the machine in a given time will equal that of the ordinary projector nowin use.

Stationary color screens are to be provided through which each picture is projected, for instance, a red color screen 7 may be placed in front ofthe lens assembly 8 for the upper picture, and a green screen 9 before the lens assembly 10 for the lower picture.

A shutter 11 rotating on a shaft12 in the usual manner, may be provided, but where a single shutter is desired to be used in conuection with both pictures belng projected,

it will preferably be of the design shown. The shutter in this case may be provided with cover blades 13 and 14 and flicker blades 15 and 16 with spaces intervening between these blades. Thus cover blades '13 and 14 will intercept the picture being projected from lenses 8 and 10 respectively,

' while the film is being advanced two frames at one of the gates. Upon one-eighth rotation of the shutter the pictures will again crate in, unison. v

pass to the screen through the s ace between blades. Flicker blades 15 an in the usualmanner to makethe cessation of'the picture onthe screen lessap arent. Upon further rotationof the shutter e pic- 16 operate tures again pass between blades, and again Y cover as the blades 13 and l4complete a one-half -revolution about the shaft 12.

It may be founddesirable tb provide individual shutters for each beam rejected, in which case the shutters will be 0f the ordinary construction synchronized to op- It is'to be understood that each observer will be provided with colored glasses having a red lens 17 and a green lens 18, for the purpose above described.

The operation of the device isas follows: The projector having beenv threaded with the film, and the mechanism'started, it will be apparent that if it .has been found that a ten picture interval will efiiciently separate the two film gates, the pictures occupying the numerical positions 1 and. 12 will be projected simultaneousl gates 2 and-3 respectively. y referring to the diagrammatic picture of the film strip it will be seen that pictures 1 and 12 form a stereoscopic pair in that they were taken photographically sequentially. Upon an advance of the film two frames by the sprocket 5, at which time the sprocket 4 is stationary, the picture in numerical position 3' will be brought opposite the film gate 3, thus numerical picture 12 and numerical picture 3 through the p are projected simultaneousl Upon referring to the numbers to the eft of the strip it will be seen that pictures 3 and 12 are photographically sequential and, therefore,

form a stereoscopic pair. The next advance takes place at the sprocket 4, sprocket 5 remaining stationary. At this time numerical picture 14 is brought opposite the film gate 2 and this pictureis shown with numerical picture 3. By referrin to the numbers to the left of the film strlp, it will be found that these are photographically sequential and, therefore, form a stereoscopic pair. In this way each picture is shown simultaneously with a different picture, both pictures forming stereoscopic pairs.

In the claims where we have mentioned the pictures asbeing separated, we refer to the separation caused by pictures intervening between others, and not to the usual line of demarkation, or minute space between tures we mean two pictures of the same object taken from horizontally separated view points, and next each other in sequence ofexposure in the taking camera.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is 1. A method of producing a stereoscopic effect in moving pictures which include the step of projecting through color screenseach individual picture of a series of pairs of successively photographed, horizontally differentiated stereoscopic pictures from a film strip simultaneously on the same screen area,

first with its preceding photographically sequential neighbor and then with Its succeeding photographically sequential neighbor, the individual pictures comprising a stereoscopic pair having other pictures therebetween, and viewing said pictures projected on the screenthrough color screens.

2. A method of producing stereoscopic efiects in moving pictures which includes the step of projecting two successively photographed, horizontally difi'erentiated stereoscopic pictures from a film strip. simultaneously on the same screen area, the individual pictures comprising the stereoscopic pair having other pictures therebetween, and then projecting one of said pictures simultaneously with a picture of a succeeding stereoscopic pair, and differentiating ri ht and left hand pictures to the right and eft eyes efi'ects in moving pictures which includes the step of projecting through color filters from a single width film strip each individual picture of a series of pairs of successivel photographed, horizontally differentiate stereoscopic pictures, first with its preceding photographically sequential neighbor and then with its succeeding photographically sequential neighbor, the individual pictures comprising a stereoscopic pair having other pictures therebetween.

4. A method of producing a stereoscopic efi'ect in moving pictures which includes the step of projecting each individual picture of a series of pairs of horizontally difier entiated photographically sequential stereoscopic pictures from a film strip, simultaneously through color filters, first with its preceding photographically sequential neighbor and then with its succeeding photographically sequential neighbor, the individual pictures comprising the stereoscopic pair having other pictures therebetween and viewing the projected image through color filters.

In testimony whereof, we aflix our signatures.

GEORGE LANE. JOHN E. PATTERSON. 

